More Seabass!

Roasted Sea Bass Provencal

Greg came home with another piece of Chilean Seabass so I found a new recipe. He thought the sun-dried tomatoes over-powered the buttery flavor of the fish so next time I'll stick to a more simple sauce. I asked him which was his favorite seabass so far and he said the first time with the hollandaise sauce. Great...I guess the boy's got a taste for gourmet now!

Ingredients: (4 servings)

¼ c chopped drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, 2 Tbsp oil reserved
2 Tbsp drained capers
1 Tbsp chopped garlic
1 Tbsp minced fresh thyme or 1½ tsp dried
½ c dry white wine
½ c bottled clam juice
4 6-to7-oz sea bass fillets

Preparations:

1. Heat 2 Tbsp reserved oil in heavy large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add tomatoes, capers, garlic and thyme and stir 1 min. Add wine and clam juice and boil until liquid is reduced almost to glaze, about 3 min.
2. Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper. Add to skillet; turn to coat with sauce. Heat fish until just opaque in center, about 15 min. Transfer fish and sauce to platter.

What's Under ALL that Cheese???

Parmesan-Crusted Pork Chops! (and Cinnamon Applesauce)

Ingredients: (4 servings)

2 large eggs
1 c dried Italian-style bread crumbs
3/4 c freshly grated Parmesan
4 (1/2 to 3/4-inch thick) center-cut pork loin chops (each about 10 to 12 ounces)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 Tbsp olive oil
Cinnamon Applesauce (optional)

Preparations:

1. Whisk the eggs in a pie plate to blend. Place the bread crumbs in another pie plate. Place the cheese in a third pie plate.
2. Sprinkle the pork chops generously with salt and pepper. Coat the chops completely with the cheese, patting to adhere. Dip the chops into the eggs, then coat completely with the bread crumbs, patting to adhere.
3. Heat 3 Tbsp of oil in a very large skillet over medium heat. Add pork chops, in batches if necessary, and cook until golden brown and the center reaches 150 degrees, about 6 minutes per side. Transfer the chops to plates and serve with applesauce.

Giada's Crostinis

This may look like a long and complicated recipe, but it's really not! This was our pre-dinner snack and only took about 15 minutes to make.

Sun-Dried Tomato Jam:
1 (8-oz) jar sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and chopped, oil reserved
1 Tbsp olive oil
½ onion, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ c red wine vinegar
1 c water
½ c chicken broth
1 tsp chopped dried thyme
½ tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Crostini:
1 baguette, cut into 3/4-inch slices
¼ c olive oil
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
5 oz Feta Cheese

Preparations:

1. For the Sun-dried Tomato Jam:
Place a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the chopped sun-dried tomatoes, 1 tablespoon of the reserved sun-dried tomato oil, olive oil, onion, and garlic. Stir and cook until the onions are soft and beginning to brown at the edges, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the vinegar, water, chicken broth, thyme, salt, and pepper. Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. Remove the cover and continue simmering until most of the liquid is reduced and the mixture is the consistency of jam, about 5 to 10 more minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.

2. For the Crostini:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil.
Place the baguette slices on the baking sheet. Using a pastry brush, lightly coat the baguette slices with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake until lightly toasted, about 8 minutes.

3. To assemble:
Spread the crostini with Sun-Dried Tomato Jam and top with the cheese. Transfer to a serving plate and serve.

Thanks to a Full Weekend of Giada

This Saturday, I basically watched about 10 back-to-back episodes of Everyday Italian. I don't think there was a single dish that didn't look yummy but this one looked the best! Thin-cut pork chops dipped in seasoned breadcrumbs and then pan-seared and topped off with some Mozzarella Cheese. The dipping sauce is made with sour cream, mayo, cream-cheese, capers and a hint of lemon zest. How could this NOT be good?

Pork Milanese with Creamy Caper and Lemon Sauce

Ingredients: (6 servings)

Creamy Caper and Lemon Sauce:
2/3 c mascarpone cheese OR cream cheese
3 Tbsp mayonnaise
3 Tbso sour cream
1/4 c whole milk OR half and half
1/4 c capers, drained and chopped
1 lemon, zested
1 Tbsp parsley
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

Pork Milanese:
3/4 c all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt, plus more for seasoning
1/2 tsp black pepper, plus more for seasoning
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 c seasoned Italian bread crumbs
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
6 thin-cut pork chops

Preparations:

For the Creamy Caper and Lemon Sauce: Combine the mascarpone and mayonnaise in a medium bowl. Slowly add the milk, stirring as you go, until all the milk is incorporated. Add the remaining ingredients. Stir to combine. Set aside.

For the Pork Milanese: Combine the flour and the 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper in a shallow dish and stir together. Crack the eggs into another shallow dish and beat until combined. In a third shallow bowl, place the breadcrumbs. Season the pork with salt and pepper. Dip the pork, 1at a time first in the flour, then the eggs, then the bread crumbs. Warm the vegetable in a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot place the breaded pork in the pan. Cook until golden and cooked through, about 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer the pork to a serving platter and serve with the sauce alongside.

Celebrating with Sea Bass!

What are we celebrating, you ask? Greg's raise! Yes and there's nothing more gourmet than Chilean Sea Bass and Champagne! This is another one of Giada's recipes and it turned out AMAZING! The sauce was creamy and cheesy and the sea bass hidden underneath soaked up every last bit of flavor!

Ingredients: (4 servings)

4 (6-oz) pieces sea bass
¼ tsp salt, plus more for seasoning fish
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning fish
2 c all-purpose flour
6 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 c tomatoes sauce
1 c canned diced tomatoes
1c shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Preparations:

1. Season both sides of the fish with salt and pepper.
2. Put the flour in a shallow bowl, dredge the fish, tapping off the excess flour to create a light coating.
3. In a medium nonstick fry pan, heat 3 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Cook the fish until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer fish to a plate.
4. Wipe out the pan with a paper towel and heat the remaining 3 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, tomatoes, water, tomato sauce, ¼ tsp salt, and ½ tsp pepper and cook at a simmer for 10 minutes.
5. Add the fish and cheese and heat for 2 minutes. Serve immediately.

Peking Duck!

Ok I know I'm cheating because I didn't really "make" any of this but it's the thought that counts right? I brought home half a Peking Duck home after my San Jose trip. Can you believe ALL of this cost less than $5?

Meet Eggs Benedict's Cousin...Canadian Bennie!

On a recent Rachael Ray Show, she made something called Canadian Benny's. It's a new twist on Eggs Benedict and we all know how much Greg loves those right? So I decided to give it a shot...cheese, eggs, ham and tomatoes in a creamy sauce...what can you possibly not love about it?

Ingredients: (2 servings)

2 Tbsp butter, divided
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 scallion, finely chopped
Salt and pepper
½ c heavy cream
2 thick-cut slices sweet, whole-grain bread, such as oat-nut bread
4 slices Canadian bacon
A drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil
2 large eggs
4 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Preparations:

1. Melt 1 Tbsp butter over medium heat in a small pan. Add tomatoes and scallions and season with salt and pepper. Sauté 2 minutes then stir in cream and let it reduce 10 minutes over low heat, stirring occasionally.
2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 1 Tbsp butter to the skillet and melt it. Add bread and cook 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Transfer to a platter.
3. Cook bacon in the same pan in a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil for 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Place the bacon on the bread and add 1 more Tbsp butter to the pan.
4. Melt butter then add eggs, careful to give each room to cook. Fry until soft or hard, as you like. Cover eggs with mounds of cheese. Foil tent the pan and melt the cheese.
5. Place cheesy eggs on bacon. Ladle tomato cream sauce down over the entire egg stack.

Strata Meets Crustless Quich = Egg Cake!

This was inspired by the Rachael Ray Show the other day. She made her mom's Egg Cakes and they looked SO good I had to try them! I substituted ham for bacon and used white sandwich bread (because that's what I had in the fridge) and the result was this ooey gooey cheesy cake hot from the oven!Ingredients:

6 slices ham, chopped
1/2 medium onion, chopped
Salt and pepper
EVOO, for coating the pan
8 slices of white bread, crust removed, cut into bite-size pieces
1 c shredded cheddar cheese
6 eggs
1/2 c milk
1/2 c grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Preparations:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Heat oil in a large pan. Saute onions until brown.
3. Meanwhile, whisk eggs and milk together.
4. Butter a 9-inch cake pan. Place half the bread pieces on the bottom. Pour in half the onions, then half the ham on top. Pour in half the egg mixture and sprinkle half of the cheddar cheese.
5. Layer on remaining bread, then onions, then ham and top with egg mixture and cheese.
6. Sprink Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese on top.
7. Bake for 20 min or until golden brown.

Super Foods from Fitness Magazine

1. Beef
Why? Protein, iron & B vitamins.
For me? Roast beef deli slices on my salads.

2. Curry
Why? Prevent breast, ovarian & pancreatic cancers.
For me? Sprinkle on cauliflower.

3. Coffee
Why? Lowers risk of diabetes, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's & colon & liver cancers.
For me? Drink 3 cups of DECAF everyday!

4. Shrimp
Why? Cancer fighter & vitamin D.
For me? Eat for dinner instead of Gorton's fish.

5. Brussels sprouts
Why? Cancer fighter, fiber, vitamin C & A.
For me? Eat with dinner once a week.

6. Red Tomato
Why? Lowers risk of cancer, heart disease & macular degeneration.
For me? Salsa on everything!

What to do with left-over ham and mushrooms???

Make Mac and Cheese and HAM!

This is basically the Mac and Cheese with Beef from the other night but now with ham and mushrooms!

Ingredients:
1 pkg (7-1/4 oz) KRAFT Macaroni & Cheese Dinner
4 slices of ham
1 c mushrooms, sliced
1/4 c (1/2 stick) margarine
1 c cheddar cheese, shredded
salt & pepper

Preparations:
1. Bring 6 c water to boil in large saucepan. Stir in Macaroni. Boil 7 to 10 minutes or until macaroni is tender, stirring occasionally.
2. Meanwhile, cook ham and mushrooms in large skillet on medium heat; drain. Add the Cheese Sauce Mix and all remaining ingredients except macaroni; mix well. Reduce heat to low; simmer until heated through, stirring occasionally.
3. Drain macaroni. Add to ingredients in skillet; mix lightly. Sprinkle on cheese and salt and pepper.

Pad See You (I'm now officially Asian!)

I've been wanting to make Pad See You for a while now knowing it's Greg's FAVORITE Thai food. I was never able to find the flat noodles at our little Safeway so I decided to pick up the ingredients on my Sunday trip to San Jose. I went a little crazy at the Asian supermarket seeing all the special sauces and stuff! Anyway, to make my life easier, I also picked up some Char Sew (BBQ Pork) to throw in the Pad See You so I wouldn't have to bother cooking the meat. Greg loved it and I think it's pretty authentic!

Ingredients:

1 c BBQ pork, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp oil
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp garlic, chopped
2 Tbsp fish sauce
1 lb fresh flat rice noodles
1 egg
1 c broccoli, chopped
1/4 c green onions, chopped

Preparations:

1. Cook garlic and broccoli in oiled pan for 10 min.
2. Meanwhile, break up the noodles and cut them into 1/2 inch pieces.
3. Add noodles, pork and green onions to the pan and saute for about 10 min until everything is cooked through.
4. Mix in soy sauce, fish sauce and egg. Stir to incorporate everything until egg is cooked.

Mac and Cheese with BEEF!

Ingredients:

1 pkg (7-1/4 oz) KRAFT Macaroni & Cheese Dinner
1 lb ground beef
3/4 c milk
1/4 c (1/2 stick) margarine
1c cheddar cheese, shredded
salt & pepper

Preparations:

1. Bring 6 c water to boil in large saucepan. Stir in Macaroni. Boil 7 to 10 minutes or until macaroni is tender, stirring occasionally.
2. Meanwhile, brown meat in large skillet on medium heat; drain. Add the Cheese Sauce Mix and all remaining ingredients except macaroni; mix well. Reduce heat to low; simmer until heated through, stirring occasionally.
3. Drain macaroni. Add to ingredients in skillet; mix lightly. Sprinkle on shredded cheese.